Two men chased Texas church shooting suspect after he killed 26

Two men are being hailed as heroes for pursuing the gunman suspected of killing at least 26 people at a Texas church.

Johnnie Langendorff told local media he had chased the gunman after seeing “two men exchanging gunfire”.

“The shooter… fled in his vehicle, the other gentleman came and said we need to pursue him,” he said.

The attack happened at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, a small town in Wilson County.

The gunman was identified as Devin Patrick Kelley, 26, according to two law enforcement officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was continuing. Mr. Kelley, who lived in New Braunfels, Tex., died shortly after the attack.

Langendorff told a local TV station Ksat.com: “I pulled up to the intersection where the shooting happened. I saw two men exchanging gunfire, the other being the citizen of the community. The shooter of the church had taken off, fled in his vehicle, the other gentleman came and said we need to pursue him. And that’s what I did, I just acted.

Langendorff said he did not know the community member. He acted on instinct when asked to help.

“I was trying to get him, to get him apprehended. It was strictly just acting on what the right thing to do was.”

A total of 23 victims were found dead in the church, two were found outside the church, and one person died in hospital. About 20 others were injured.

No motive was given for what Mr Abbott said was the worst mass shooting in modern Texas history.

“There are no words to describe the pure evil that we witnessed in Sutherland Springs today,” Mr Abbott said. “Our hearts are heavy at the anguish in this small town, but in time of tragedy, we see the very best of Texas. May God comfort those who’ve lost a loved one, and may God heal the hurt in our communities.”